This was announced by the Spanish club with a statement on its website: “Real Madrid CF announces that the Instruction Court No. 3 of Palma de Mallorca has today handed down a sentence to the person who, from his seat in the stands of the “Son Moix” stadium, hurled racist insults at our player Vinicius Júnior during the match between Mallorca and Real Madrid on February 5, 2023The accused was recognized guilty of two crimes against moral integrity, aggravated by having acted with racist motivationscommitted against Vinicius Júnior, as well as against the player Samu Chukwueze, then a Villarreal player, who had suffered similar insults from the same person at the “Son Moix” stadium, two weeks later.”
“The court sentenced the defendant to twelve months in prison, also ordering him not to enter football stadiums where matches of the National Professional Football League and the Royal Spanish Football Federation are played for a period of three years – continues the Real Madrid statement. -. The suspension of the prison sentence was conditional on the defendant apologising and expressing his regret in a letter addressed to Vinicius Júnior, a participant in an equal treatment and non-discrimination programme..
This is the third criminal conviction handed down in recent months for racist insults received by Real Madrid players.”.
“Racism takes away my desire to play”
During the press conference on the eve of the friendly match between Brazil and Spain, played last March at the Bernabeu, the Real Madrid striker burst into tears when commenting on the racist insults that are often addressed to him: “I think it's a very sad thing that happens in every game. and it's not just me, it's not just Spain, it's happening all over the world. The racist is free, he is not denounced, I fight so that in the near future what I am experiencing does not happen to anyone. I want things to changethat when I come to speak to the press, I don't need to talk about it. Sometimes I lose the desire to play but I have the support of my family and this mental peace that allows me to be here and speak on behalf of so many people.”
Solidarity
Racism towards the footballer had also become a political issue. The statue of “Christ the Redeemer” extinguished as a sign of solidarity, there were also numerous interventions by Brazilian political leaders to defend the striker, star of Real Madrid, who in different stadiums of the Spanish Liga has become the favorite target of racists as he himself denounced on social media.
